Simba Global is proud to announce it has joined Cibutex – Circularity for business textiles – a European  cooperative driving circularity in textiles through education, information and concrete projects. These projects are focused on textile recycling and reuse solutions, innovation and product development.  This strategic collaboration underscores Simba Global’s commitment to driving scalable, end-of-life solutions for commercial textiles in Australia.

Cibutex plays a pivotal role in the transition to a circular textile economy. Cibutex came to life in 2022 as an initiative of 5 textile service companies to whom it was very clear that circularity is not an individual journey, but concerns every link in the lifecycle of textiles. Therefor Cibutex set out to acquire stakeholders in every step of the process: production, sales, service and collection and recycling. As a newly joined member, Simba Global will work alongside industry pioneers to leverage global best practices, cutting-edge solutions, and shared insights that can be adapted to the Australian market.

“Great to see that likeminded organisations can connect, even over great distances. We like to see each member and partner of Cibutex as ambassadors inside their own respective networks. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Simba Global as we work jointly on a sustainable and circular business textile industry in Australia. We think we can be of value to Simba and we expect we can learn a lot from them about specific local challenges.” 

Jan Lamme, Cibutex

Being a major linen supplier to Australia’s commercial market, with 950,000 tonnes of textiles being laundered annually, we are committed to finding real and scalable solutions to manage our products at the end of their life.

Over the past year, Simba Global has conducted extensive research to quantify total annual commercial textile waste volumes and evaluate whether Australia’s current recycling infrastructure can accommodate the sheer scale of materials requiring processing. Findings reveal a critical gap: Australia lacks the capacity to manage commercial textile waste effectively. Recognizing the need for globally-informed solutions, Simba Global has expanded its research efforts internationally—joining forces with Cibutex and other leading innovators to bring world-class circular strategies back home.

We have chosen to join Cibutex because, unlike other organizations, it is uniquely focused on commercial business textiles. Most existing initiatives cater to retail products, where brands have built-in margins to cover end-of-life costs. In the commercial sector, where margins are slim and branding is minimal, managing end-of-life costs remains a significant challenge. Cibutex is tackling this head-on, creating solutions tailored to the realities of the industry.

Through this partnership, Simba Global will tap into Cibutex’s expertise in material recovery, advanced recycling methods, and circular textile systems. Together, the organisations will explore practical, scalable models for collection, repurposing, and fibre-to-fibre recycling of commercial business textiles

“We are excited to collaborate with Cibutex and its extensive global network to gain new insights, share knowledge, and co-develop innovative textile takeback solutions. Understanding how other markets tackle this issue will allow us to accelerate change in Australia, ensuring we move beyond research and into action.”

Hiten Somaia, Simba Global 

At Simba, we know a truly circular economy cannot be achieved in isolation. It relies on collective learning, knowledge sharing and cross-sector collaboration, and systemic change—from manufacturers and recyclers to businesses and consumers working to be better, together.